Ok. So, I'll admit it: I am a GEEK. A total geek.
I never set out to be that way. I tried really, REALLY hard to be a "cool kid". It just didn't go the way I had planned.
It took me a while to figure out just what to study in school. All I really wanted to do was be an artist and a writer, but some were concerned that wasn't a "real job". I took lots of classes trying to figure out what to do, before settling on becoming a Biologist. Sounds fancy, doesn't it? Chris - the biologist. OOOO! Haha! Honestly, I wanted to play with animals. Getting paid for it was like icing on the cake. So, I began my pursuit of a Bachelor of Science in Biology.
One thing I discovered about myself in all that class taking adventure was how much I actually LOVED learning. Oh, man! And did I learn some crazy stuff I never thought I would actually learn, never mind understand. Chemistry and Math and Physics and Organic Chemistry and Statistics...ok, I really didn't like Statistics all that much. And, I am not going to lie, there were lots of times my mind was blown and my head hurt from all the reading and learning and studying. And learning.
And, no, not everyone in my classes looked like the typical, stereotype "geek" that we have come to know and love in the movies. In all honesty, not many of them were at all. I don't recall a single pocket protector being used...though I will admit, I started understanding why people would use them. We all looked "normal". Yet, we all seemed to know we were the geeks. The weirdos. The ones who love figuring out how carbon atoms bond together. The ones who memorized the abbreviations for the elements on the periodic table...and how many electrons each element has. The ones who probably carry a scientific calculator in their bag...before all that could be found on a smart phone. Yeah, that was us. That was me. Who woulda thunk that I would be hanging in this crowd? But I am so happy I did.
I got to work with some pretty amazing people and some pretty cool animals in my short run of my career. I came home to care for my 2-legged critters and have been here ever since. Wouldn't change it for anything in the world. I have been able to do some pretty cool things being a homeschoolin' mama to these 3 boys. I have tried to pass on to them my love of learning...tho, sadly, I am pretty sure I am still the only one in this house that actually enjoys Math. I am still working on that. Will let you know how it goes.
And maybe the lack of love that Math seems to get is one of the reasons why I still make such a big deal about Pi Day around here....and everywhere I go.
March 14th. 3 - 14. Pi Day. Who doesn't like Pi? I mean Pie. Everyone likes Pie! My kids like pie. My hubs LOVES Pie. (This year he has given up sweets so I guess no Pie for him. Pretty sure he can still enjoy Pi...but he doesn't care much for Math....sooo....) Maybe my enthusiasm for Pi Day is a hopeful attempt to encourage others to love Math as much as me. Maybe it will help bring them over to the "dork side" as the meme says, and encourage this love of learning. Would I have to "STEAM" the "Pi" to help with all of that?? Sorry, couldn't help myself.
Anyhoo... Since today is officially Pi Day, I thought a fun Circle Art piece would be a fun way to celebrate the day. After all, where would we be without circles? And...for the most part, wheels, spheres, all those cool, circular things that we use in our everyday lives probably started out as a drawing of a circle on a piece of paper, right?
I searched around on the Google for "Circle Art" for some inspiration. I had a few ides, but I just wasn't sure what to create. Many of my ideas were abstract works, and since we just finished a geometric abstract piece, I thought trying something different would be fun. I also thought something watercolor may be appropriate, as it was a super wet, rainy week in our neck of the woods. It's also been pretty hot our way, feeling more like spring than winter. Plus, I haven't done much with watercolors for a few weeks. Thought they may be feeling neglected.
In my search I found so many great ideas for a circle-inspired artwork, but one in particular caught my eye. This reference photo had LOTS of fun colors and trees, probably would be considered an Impressionistic piece. And I just couldn't stop thinking about it. I had to try my hand at it. I changed some things around a bit and made it more "me", and I have to admit, I like the way it turned out. The style. The light, bright, happy feel to it. *sigh* Yeah, it makes me happy.
And, sometimes art should do that. Help boost our moods. Sometimes they reflect our moods. Sometimes they tell a story. And sometimes they are just there to be enjoyed. Kinda like Pie. Because more people I know enjoy Pie over Pi. But Pi is important, too. After all, most pies are in a circular shape. And you cannot figure out the circumference or area of your Pie without Pi. Because that's what everyone does on Pi Day, right? No, no they don't. But you should celebrate Pi Day. By eating Pi. And doing Circle Art.
For my piece I used:
- watercolor paper
- watercolors (I used liquid watercolors and watercolor pencils)
- water
- a cup for water
- paper towels
- paintbrushes
- a pencil
- eraser
- you may want a compass or a ruler for drawing your pictures
The most important thing, as always, is to have fun. Make memories. Make a mess. And then have a clean-up party. Because life is short. Our kiddos are only little for a very short time. Go have some fun and let them explore with art. And then after they clean up, give them pie. :)
The video link can be found below. I hope you enjoy this project. If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know. I would love to help you on your artistic adventure! Have fun celebrating #PiDay, everyone, and Happy Arting!